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Famous Irish Regiments:
by J P Powell FRGS
The Connaught Rangers
T
he Connaught Rangers were formed as the 88th
Regiment of the British Army in 1793. The necessity of
building up enough forces to confront Revolutionary
France overcame previous prejudice against raising Catholic
regiments, and recruits for the new regiment were mostly Irish
Catholics. General de Burgh, later the Earl of Clanrickard, who
raised the regiment was its first colonel....
The Peninsula War (1808-1814) against Napoleon raised the
profile of the regiment, and while serving with the Duke of
Wellington's army the regiment became known as 'The Devil's
Own'. One of their many noteworthy actions was the storming
of Ciudad Rodriguez in January 1812. This was followed by the
equally hard fought but successful seizure of Badajoz in March.
The Rangers also participated in a series of other major
victories at Busaco (September 1810), Vittorio (June 1813), and
Talavera (July 1813).
During the Battle of Salamanca (July 1812) the Connaught
Rangers captured a French standard crowned with an eagle
An Cosantóir Dec 2012/Jan 2013 www.dfmagazine.ie
and adorned with bells and half moons. Nicknamed 'Jingling
Johnny' it was subsequently carried by the tallest man in the
regiment on special occasions.
The Crimean War (1854-1856) saw the Rangers fighting in the
battles of the Alma and Inkerman and taking part in the final
assault on the Russian fortress of Sevastopol.
In the Kaffir War (1877-1878) in the Transkei area of South
Africa, the Connaught Rangers were sent from their base in
Athlone to suppress a rebellion led by Kreli, the chief of the
Galeka tribe. They later served in the Zulu War of 1879, but
without seeing any major fighting.
The Boer War (1899-1902) resulted in several early defeats for
the British Army. As part of General Hart's 5th Irish Brigade the
Connaught Rangers formed part of the force defeated by the
Boers at the battles of Colenso (November 1899) and Spion Kop
(December 1899). The regiment did, however, participate in the
successful relief of Ladysmith in February 1900. By early 1901
the Rangers were able to form five mounted units for action
